Device and method for the thermal treatment of unshelled eggs

ABSTRACT

The invention is relating to device for the controlled heating and cooling and conservation of eggs ( 18 ) that is provided with an oven space ( 13 ) with a carrier plate ( 7 ) with holders for the positioning of the eggs ( 18 ) substantially upright and a spray device ( 12 ) for the cooling of same with a coolant, and which is further provided with a heating element ( 11 ) for the generation of steam, whereby means ( 14 ) are provided that allow said steam to be subjected to a forced flow whereby this steam flows over the eggs ( 18 ) in order to heat the eggs, whereby said carrier plate ( 7 ) has openings ( 16 ) such that at least part of said steam is guided along the side of the eggs ( 18 ) to the underside of the carrier plate ( 7 ) so that the underside of the eggs ( 18 ) is heated.

[0001] The invention is relating to a device for the controlled heatingand cooling of eggs which is provided with an oven space with a carrierplate with holders for placing the eggs in a more or less verticalposition and a spray device for the cooling of the eggs with a coolantand is further provided with a heating element for producing steam. Thisdevice makes it possible to pasteurise the eggs or to cause thempartially to set in order to obtain what are generally referred to ashard-boiled or soft-boiled eggs.

[0002] The devices known according to the current state of the art forheating and/or cooling eggs have the disadvantage that they do not allowthe precise control of the heating or cooling of eggs. It appears thatthe shape of the temperature curve of the heating and subsequent coolingor quenching of the eggs is critical to the characteristics of thetreated eggs.

[0003] When eggs are boiled with the aid of the devices known accordingto the current state of the art, it appears that it is virtuallyimpossible repeatedly to boil soft-boiled eggs in which the white isfully set and the yolk of the egg is not set, and in which the yolk hasreached a sufficiently high temperature to destroy any bacteria that itmay contain.

[0004] Furthermore, according to the state of the art, the shell ofboiled eggs has a very variable attachment to the white of the egg. As aresult it is a common occurrence when shelling traditionally boiled eggsthat part of the set white of the egg is removed together with theeggshell.

[0005] It has also been observed that the yolk of an egg boiledaccording to the state of the art, does not lie in the centre of theegg. During the boiling of the egg, the yolk in fact moves up towardsthe eggshell so that a boiled egg is obtained in which the white is notuniformly set.

[0006] Furthermore the device and the method according to the state ofthe art do not offer any certainty about the bacterial safety of thesesoft-boiled eggs.

[0007] The invention attempts to remedy these disadvantages by proposinga device and method for heating and cooling eggs that produces virtuallyperfectly boiled eggs that are easy to shell and which have the yolklocated in the centre of the egg. Furthermore the invention makes itpossible to obtain eggs with a desired degree of setting of the whiteand/or the yolk.

[0008] The device and the method, according to the invention, also makeit possible to pasteurise eggs without causing the white or the yolk toset, whereby the processing characteristics of the egg are markedlyimproved compared to those of unpasteurised eggs.

[0009] To this end means are provided that permit aforesaid steam to besubjected to a forced flow, whereby this steam flows over the carrierplate from a first extremity to the opposing second extremity of same sothat the upper side of the eggs are heated, whereby said carrier plateis provided with openings so that at least a part of said steam isguided along the side of the eggs to the underside of the carrier plate.

[0010] According to the invention the device is purposely fitted with apreferably removable oven plate mounted between the carrier plate andthe bottom of the oven space so that a free space is created between thelatter and the oven plate.

[0011] According to the invention aforementioned spray device comprisesin an advantageous way at least one sprayer that allows aforementionedcoolant to be sprayed as a cylindrical jet of coolant with an annularsection.

[0012] Said sprayer has in a particularly advantageous fashion acone-shaped hole that opens into a spray opening whereby said liquid issquirted via a canal adjacent to the circumference of this opening sothat this liquid rotates in the opening and is thus guided into the ovenspace via aforesaid spray opening.

[0013] In a specific embodiment said spray opening has a diameter of 1to 2.5 mm and this is by preference substantially equal to 2 mm.

[0014] Said spray device has liquid lines that connect said sprayer tothe source of the liquid, whereby the length of these lines issubstantially the same for all sprayers.

[0015] According to a preferred embodiment of the device, according tothe invention, this is provided with a preferably removable liquidreserve comprising two compartments, where a first compartment has atleast one valve that admits liquid to said spray device and/or theheating element, and where a second compartment is provided with atleast one inlet opening so that liquid can flow from the oven space intothis second compartment.

[0016] According to the method according to the invention for heating orcooling eggs so that they set at a predetermined point or forpasteurising them, the eggs, which may be at differing initialtemperatures, are placed next to one another on a carrier plate placedin an oven space, whereby the latter is preheated in accordance with apredetermined temperature curve by means of steam to a temperature ofbetween substantially 95° C. and 110° C. and by preference to 98° C. Theeggs are then cooled with the aid of a coolant for a period of 10 to 50seconds, by preference from 15 to 30 seconds, before the eggs havereached such a high temperature in their cores that bacteria aredestroyed. After cooling, the eggs are maintained in the oven space at atemperature that lies below the setting temperature of the yolk whilethe core temperature of the eggs rises further as a result of heattransmission from the surrounding white to a temperature at whichbacteria are destroyed.

[0017] According to a preferred embodiment of the method, according tothe invention, to obtain eggs of which only the white is set, the ovenspace is heated by means of steam for 6.2 to 6.8 minutes whereby, whenthe core of the eggs has reached a temperature of between 45° and 50°C., the oven space is subsequently cooled to a temperature of between55° C. and 65° C. and by preference to about 60° C.

[0018] Other particularities and advantages of the invention will beapparent from the description given below of an embodiment of the methodand the device, according to the invention; this description is givenmerely by way of example and does not in any way limit the scope of theclaimed protection; the reference numbers used below refer to theattached figures.

[0019]FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective drawing of a first embodiment ofthe device according to the invention whereby certain parts have beenleft out.

[0020]FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective drawing of this first embodimentof the device according to the invention whereby other parts have beenleft out.

[0021]FIG. 3 is a schematic longitudinal section along the plane III-IIIshown in FIG. 1 of the device according to the invention.

[0022]FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view of the device according to theinvention.

[0023]FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of the constituent parts ofa spray plate of the device according to the invention.

[0024]FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-section of a part of a spray platewith a sprayer.

[0025]FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective drawing of a second embodimentof the device according to the invention, whereby certain parts havebeen left out.

[0026]FIG. 8 is a graph that shows the temperature of the oven space andthe core of the eggs as a function of time.

[0027]FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective drawing of a third embodiment ofthe device according to the invention.

[0028]FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective drawing of the disassembledparts of the device illustrated in FIG. 9.

[0029]FIG. 11 is a schematic side-view of the same device as in FIGS. 9and 10 which presents a transparent protective cover.

[0030]FIG. 12 is a graph that shows the course of the temperature of theeggs and the oven space during pasteurisation as a function of time.

[0031] The same reference numbers in the various figures relate to thesame or similar elements in the various figures.

[0032] The device according to the invention, as represented in FIGS. 1and 2, shows two sidewalls located opposite each other, which are notrepresented in the figures and which join to back wall 1 and a plate 2that constitutes the bottom plate of the device. The upper side of thedevice consists of a plate which, for the clarity of the figures, islikewise not shown. A rectangular frame 3 is provided on the front ofthe device on which a swing-down closing door 4 is installed in order toshut the device. A water reservoir 5 that can be removed from the deviceso that it can be emptied or filled is provided below this door 4.

[0033] In addition the device is provided with an oven plate 6 whichmore or less extends between the sidewalls of the device and on which acarrier plate 7 rests for the positioning of the eggs, which are notshown in FIGS. 1 and 2. This carrier plate 7 stands by means of twoparallel extended vertical ribs 8 and 9 that are perpendicular to theframe 3 on said oven plate 6 such that a free space 10 is formed betweenthe latter and the carrier plate 7.

[0034] Above the oven plate 6 and under the plate which forms the upperside of the device a so-called spray plate 12 extends which is connectedvia a pump 46 to a water reservoir 5. In this way an oven space 13 isformed under the spray plate 12 in which said carrier plate 7 and theoven plate 6 are located.

[0035] The oven space 13 is bounded on the underside by a bottom plateof which the edges connect to the vertical sides of the oven 50, 51 and52. These oven walls 50, 51, and 52 connect on their upper side toaforementioned spray plate 12.

[0036] On the front side the oven wall is formed by aforesaid closingdoor 4.

[0037] On the rear wall 1 a heating element 11 is provided that consistsof an electrical boiler for the generation of steam. The heating element11 is connected to a ventilator 14 which is located between this heatingelement 11 and the oven plate 6 in order to blow steam into the ovenspace 13 above the carrier plate 7.

[0038] Next to the heating plate 11 and the oven space 13 an electroniccontrol unit 15 is also provided for the device.

[0039] The carrier plate 7 is provided with square openings 16 withrounded corners that constitute holders for the vertical positioning ofeggs. To this end these openings 16 are provided with projections 17that lie in the plane of carrier plate 7. When an egg is positioned insuch a holder the egg will thus partly project under the carrier plate7, whereby it bears on said projections 17 in such a way that theopening 16 is not entirely filled with the corresponding egg. In theembodiments of the carrier plate shown in the figures each opening 16 isprovided with four such projections 17.

[0040] In the longitudinal section of the device according to theinvention shown in FIG. 3, eggs 18 are shown that are positioned more orless upright. That is to say the eggs 18 rest with their most roundedends on the carrier plate 6 against the projections 17. Furthermore thisfigure shows the closing door 4 in a vertical position so that it shutssaid oven space 13.

[0041] The closing door 4 is provided with an opening 58 level with theoven plate 6. This opening 58 is semi-cylindrical in shape and extendsover the entire width of the oven plate 6 in such a way that steam inthe space below the carrier plate 7 and above the bottom plate 6 canflow via this opening 58 over the underside of the oven space to fan 14and which can return this steam back over the eggs.

[0042] Said fan 14 is by preference of the elongated type and extendsover virtually the entire width of oven space 13. The presence of saidopening 58 in the closing door 4 which thus works in conjunction withfan 14 means that the steam is evenly distributed over the eggs placedin the device independently of the number of eggs located in the ovenspace 13.

[0043] When the carrier plate 7 is not entirely filled with eggs, auniform heating of the eggs is thus nonetheless obtained.

[0044] Furthermore a removal duct 59 is provided that connects the ovenspace 13 with an exhaust pipe 60. This exhaust pipe 60 leads via oneextremity to an opening 61 under the closing door 4. The other end ofthe exhaust pipe 60 works in conjunction with a fan 62 that draws in airfrom the surroundings so that this ambient air is mixed with the steamin the exhaust pipe 60. In this way there is no danger that a personstanding in front of opening 61 might be burnt by the extracted steam.

[0045] As is apparent from this figure the water reservoir 5 has anoblong shape and is provided with a handle 19 that allows the waterreservoir to be removed from the device in a simple way.

[0046] The water reservoir 5 has two compartments 20 and 21 separatedfrom one another by a bulkhead 22. This bulkhead 22 extends between thesides of the water reservoir 5 and is inclined, where the higher end 23is located on the side of the handle 19, while the lower end 24 islocated against the side wall opposite this handle 19. In this wayliquid in the upper compartment 20 will always flow to the lower part24.

[0047] Furthermore a valve 25 is provided in the side wall ofcompartment 20 near said lower part 24 of the bulkhead 22. This valveworks in conjunction with a water pipe not shown in the figures that isconnected to a heating element 11 via a pump 26. In this way this valve25 ensures that water from the upper compartment 20 can flow to theheating element 11 with the aid of the pump 26.

[0048] The lower compartment 21 has two inlet openings 55 that connectto two tubular connecting pieces 27 that extend through said uppercompartment 20 to an opening 29 provided in the upper surface 28 ofwater reservoir 5.

[0049] Further there is a tubular drain channel 30 provided that extendsfrom the bottom plate 31 of the oven space 13 to aforesaid opening 20 inthe upper surface 28 of water reservoir 5. In this way water on thebottom plate 31 can flow via the drain channel 30 and the connectorpiece 27 to said lower compartment 21.

[0050] In order to allow this lower compartment 21 to drain in a simplefashion when it is removed from the device, said connector pieces 27 arelocated near to the two opposing edges of the upper surface 28. It isthus possible to allow the liquid to flow from this compartment 21 alonga first connector piece 27 when the water reservoir 5 is placedvertically on one side, while air is sucked in in compartment 21 via thesecond connector piece 27.

[0051] To fill the upper compartment 20 with water the upper surface 28is provided with at least one opening not shown in the figures.

[0052]FIG. 4 shows a schematic plan view of the device according to theinvention. As can be clearly seen in this figure two spray plates 12 areprovided next to one another which each have a connection opening 32 fora water line not shown in the figures.

[0053] Each of the spray plates 12 are formed by three plates installedone above the other, 33, 34 and 35.

[0054] A first plate 33 forms the upper side of the oven space andconsists by preference of a hard plastic that can withstand temperaturesof up to 110° C. In this plate 33 conical sprayers 36 and liquidchannels have been milled out. FIG. 6 schematically shows a section ofsuch a sprayer 36 with a channel 37. The sprayer 36 opens at itssmallest diameter via a spray opening 47 into the oven space 13 and ispositioned in such a way that it is located almost centrally above acorresponding opening 16 in carrier plate 6. The spray opening 47 has bypreference a diameter between 1 and 2.5 mm, and is usually virtuallyequal to 2 mm.

[0055] Furthermore the liquid channel 37 connects tangentially to thelargest diameter of the sprayer 36 so that a liquid, flowing undersufficiently high pressure from channel 37 into the sprayer 36 undergoesa rotational motion.

[0056] In order to limit the transfer of heat from the oven space 13through the spray plate 12, the material of the plate 33 is partlymilled away in the vicinity of the channels 37 so that recesses 38 areobtained in countersunk relief, separated by strengthening ribs 39. Inthis way the plate 33 has upstanding strengthening ribs 39 and channelwalls 40.

[0057] This first plate 33, represented in FIG. 5, is provided withseveral sprayers 36 that are connected via a distribution chamber 41 toan equally long liquid channel 37.

[0058] A second plate 34 is mounted against this first plate 33 in whicha central cylindrical distribution space 42 is milled. Multiple liquidchannels 43 of equal length depart from this latter space 42 and issuein drill holes that extend perpendicularly through plate 34. Each drillhole 44 operates in conjunction with a corresponding distribution space41 of the first plate 33 in such a way that liquid brought into thedistribution space 42 via liquid channels 43 and drill holes 44 can flowto the distribution spaces 41 and ultimately reach the sprayers 36 viathe liquid channels 37.

[0059] Each distribution chamber 41 is made cylindrical so that theliquid entering them via the drill holes 44 is subjected to a rotationalmotion. As a result of this rotational motion of the liquid there is avirtually uniform pressure on the walls of the distribution chamber 41and in this way the same rate of flow arises in the liquid channels 37that issue into the distribution chamber on the circumference of same.

[0060] Furthermore material is also milled away in this second plate 34such that the walls 45 of the liquid channels 43 are raised incomparison with this plate 34.

[0061] A third plate 35 is mounted against the second plate 34 such thatthe channels 43 of this second plate are closed off on their upper sideby means of plate 35. Said connection opening is provided in this thirdplate 35 which in consequence is located virtually centrally above thedistribution space 42.

[0062] In this way liquid that reaches the cylindrical distributionspace via connection opening 32 is entirely distributed in the latter,so that the same liquid flow rate is pushed through each of the channels43.

[0063] The connection opening 32 is connected via a water line not shownin the figures to valve 25 of said upper compartment 20 of waterreservoir 5. In this way water can be pumped with the aid of a pump 46provided for this purpose from this upper compartment to the sprayers36. This pump 46 is by preference realised in such a way that this wateris sent to the sprayers at a pressure of 0.3 to 0.5 bar.

[0064] As the length of the water line and the channels 37 and 43 isequally long for each sprayer 36 a virtually identical jet of water 48is obtained at each spray hole 47 at virtually the same moment in time.

[0065] This liquid jet 48 has as schematically shown in FIG. 6 anannular section, whereby the jet 48 changes from a conical form to acylindrical form as the distance from the spray hole 47 becomes greater.In this way according to the invention a spray jet with an annularsection is by means of a spray device, which comprises spray plate 12with sprayers 36, obtained above each opening 16 in the carrier plate 7.

[0066] The control unit 15 of the device according to the inventionworks in conjunction with a temperature meter that measures thetemperature in the oven space 13, such as for example a thermocouple.Furthermore this control unit also works in conjunction with a timecounter and with said spray device and this controls the admission ofsteam to the oven space 13.

[0067] The embodiment of the device according to the invention asillustrated in FIG. 7 shows a spray device that is different from theembodiment of the device described here above.

[0068] In this way the embodiment of the device shown in FIG. 7 showstwo sprayers 56 and 57 located in two opposing sidewalls 50 and 51 ofthe oven space 13. Each of these sprayers 56 and 57 allow the entireoven space to be sprayed with liquid from reservoir 5. In order to sprayall eggs 18 to the same extent during the cooling, these sprayers 56 and57 are by preference installed in such a way that they spray liquid intothe oven space 13 in turns.

[0069] It is of course possible to provide more than two sprayers in thedevice. For an embodiment of the device according to the invention inwhich large numbers of eggs can be placed, it may be necessary toinstall several sprayers in order to cool all the eggs in accordancewith the same temperature curve.

[0070] In an advantageous embodiment of the device according to theinvention it is furthermore provided with a vibratory source thatensures that the liquid that is present in the oven space 13 or in theboiler 11 is evaporated or atomised. This vibratory source is bypreference made of a piezo-electrical material such that ultrasonicvibration with a frequency of between 1 and 3 MHZ can be achieved.Vibration of this kind permits water to be evaporated to a large extentat relatively low temperatures, such as room temperature. For examplewhen heating the liquid in the boiler 11 this is subjected to vibrationduring a period of 3 minutes at a temperature of 25° to 30° C.

[0071] In this way a relatively high level of humidity of at least 50%to virtually 100% is achieved in the oven space 13. This evaporatedwater condenses on the eggs that are located in the oven space 13 andmoistens them. In this way it is ensured that the heat absorption of theeggs is considerably improved and made uniform when these eggs aresubsequently heated with steam.

[0072] Furthermore said vibratory source ensures that the eggs 18 arevibrated at a frequency of between 1 and 3 MHZ. This vibrating causesthe yolk of the eggs 18 to rise so that it is substantially in thecentre of the eggs.

[0073] It is a matter of fact that eggs are usually stored standingvertically, whereby the most rounded end and the air chamber of the eggpoints upwards. It appears that the egg yolk in eggs kept in such a wayrises so that it is virtually next to this air chamber. When such eggsare placed in the device for the preparation of soft-boiled orhard-boiled eggs this takes place by preference by placing themvertically in the device whereby they rest with their most rounded endand the air chamber on said carrier plate.

[0074] By subjecting the eggs to vibration by means of said vibratorysource for a period of more or less 2.5 to 3.5 minutes, and preferablyfor 3 minutes, during the heating of the eggs, the yolk rises so that itlies centrally in the eggs in the so-called natural position.

[0075] The length of time during which the eggs are vibrated depends onthe temperature curve in the oven space 13 and is experimentallydetermined for each type of egg and then programmed with the aid of thecontrol unit 15.

[0076] When the yolk has reached this position, the yolk has set to suchan extent by reason of the heating of the oven space that the yolk takesup a fixed position vis a vis the white of the egg.

[0077] In an interesting embodiment of the device according to theinvention it is furthermore provided with an electromagnetic source ofradiation to heat the eggs. This electromagnetic source of radiationproduces in particular so-called microwaves, which are generally known.

[0078] This radiation source is by preference used in combination withsaid heating element 11, which produces steam, in order to prevent theeggs from bursting by the application of excessively high power to theradiation source.

[0079] When, however, the eggs are only heated with the aid of saidradiation source, the radiation source required for heating 60 “medium”eggs with a total weight of between 3.18 kg to 3.78 kg from 5° C. to 58°C. has a power of 1.2 KW. When power of this magnitude is applied theeggs reach a temperature of 58° C. after roughly 8 minutes. Of coursethis is likewise possible for eggs in other weight classes. Thisembodiment is highly interesting for the pasteurisation of eggs.

[0080] In order to determine what power is required to heat the eggs, atemperature meter is provided in the oven space that for exampleconsists of an infra-red sensor that measures the temperature curve of arandomly selected egg in the oven space for a particular period of time.This temperature curve is for example measured for a period of 2minutes.

[0081] The device described above makes it possible to apply the methodaccording to the invention for the boiling of eggs.

[0082] Pursuant to this method uncooked eggs in their shells 18 areplaced in the oven space 13. These eggs 18 are positioned vertically inthe openings 16 in the carrier plate 17. That is to say the most roundedend 49 of the eggs protrudes to some extent below the carrier plate 7.Subsequently the closing door 4 is closed so that the oven space isvirtually entirely sealed off from the surroundings.

[0083] In a following step the oven space 13 is heated with steam fromthe heating element 11 to a temperature between 95° and 110° C. Goodresults are obtained when the oven space 13 is heated to a temperatureof more or less 98° C. After a period of time of 6 to 7 minutes the eggsare cooled using the said spray plate by water at room temperatureduring 10 to 50 seconds, in particular during 15 to 30 seconds and theoven space 13 is then maintained at a temperature of between 50° C. and65° C.

[0084] When the oven space 13 is thus maintained at this consumptiontemperature of between 50° C. and 65° it is possible to keep the eggs along time without further setting of the yolk or the white occurring.This makes it possible among other things to use the device or themethod according to the invention in self-service counters so thatconsumers can always be sure of having a virtually perfect soft-boiledegg and the certainty that harmful bacteria in the egg have beendestroyed.

[0085] When heating the eggs the outer layer of the egg is first heated,while the heating of the core of the eggs takes much longer by reason ofthe relatively slow diffusion of heat in the egg. As a result it isimportant that the eggs 18 are cooled before they have reached thedesired temperature in their centre as it has been determined that afterthe cooling of the eggs and the oven space there will be a further riseof the core temperature as a result of the continued diffusion of theheat still in the egg.

[0086] When the eggs are cooled too late, the continued diffusion ofheat in the eggs will cause the entire egg to set after a certain periodof time.

[0087] The temperature ultimately desired in the core of the eggs isthus dependent on the extent to which the eggs are to set.

[0088] In order to avoid possible bacterial infection in eggs care mustbe taken to ensure that the temperature reached in the core issufficiently high to ensure that all bacteria possibly present in theegg are destroyed. The temperature required is known and for a period ofheating of 2 to 3 minutes is virtually equal to 60° C.

[0089] In FIG. 8 two curves are shown which show the course of thetemperature as a function of time for the preparation of soft-boiledeggs in which only the egg white has set. A first curve 53 shows thecourse of the temperature in the oven space 13, while a second curve 54shows the course of the temperature measured in the core of the eggs.

[0090] In this way the oven space is heated for about 6.5 minutes withsteam from a temperature of 35° C. to 97° C. During this heating of theoven space the core temperature of the eggs rises from about 15° C. toabout 48° C. When the eggs are sprayed with a coolant, namely water atroom temperature, for 20 seconds the core temperature of the eggscontinues to rise to about 62°, while the temperature in the oven spaceis maintained at a virtually constant 60° C. When said closing door 4 isopened, the temperature in the oven space 13 falls almost immediately toroom temperature, which is about 23° C.

[0091] However it is also possible to maintain the temperature of theoven space 13 at more or less 60° C. without there being any furthersetting of the eggs.

[0092] By using the device and the procedure according to the inventionit is for example possible to boil a number of eggs in the oven space sothat they are hard-boiled, while the remaining eggs are soft-boiled. Toachieve this the eggs that are to be hard-boiled are cooled for ashorter period of time than the eggs which are to be soft-boiled.

[0093] Furthermore soft-boiled eggs can after being for example cooledoutside the device to a temperature between 2° C. and 22° C. be againplaced in the device and be again heated and cooled perhaps togetherwith raw eggs in accordance with the method according to the inventionso that these eggs are once again brought to consumption temperature.

[0094] The invention furthermore also concerns a method for thepasteurisation of unshelled eggs. Pursuant to this method the eggs areheated until the core, in particular the centre of the yolk, has reacheda temperature of between 53° C. and 65° C., and preferably between 57°C. and 61° C., and maintained at this temperature during a sufficientlylong period of time for the bacteria present in the eggs to bedestroyed. The temperature required for destroying bacteria, such as forexample salmonella, is sufficiently known. American patent documentsU.S. Pat. No. 5,843,505 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,004,603 give in both theirFIG. 1 a chart that illustrates the relationship between temperature andthe period of time during which this temperature must be maintained inorder to destroy bacteria.

[0095] In order to achieve a sufficiently high temperature in the eggsas quickly as possible, the eggs are by preference warmed simultaneouslyby steam and microwave radiation. It has in fact been determined thatwhen microwaves are used the yolk of the eggs is heated more quicklythan the white of the egg.

[0096] Furthermore it appears that the appearance of the white, namelyits colour among other things, changes when it is maintained for acertain period of time to the pasteurisation temperature of between 53°C. and 65° C. Consequently it is important after heating up the eggs, tocool them as quickly as possible to a temperature below 45° C. The eggsare thus cooled for example to a temperature between 5° and 25° C.

[0097] By cooling in this way the desired temperature of the eggs isreached within 15 to 120 seconds thus avoiding the occurrence of thiscolour change in the white of the egg.

[0098] The eggs are cooled by preference by irrigating them or sprayingthem with water at a temperature of between 5° C. and 25° C.

[0099] When the eggs are cooled down after the core has been exposed forvirtually 3.5 minutes to a pasteurisation temperature of 60° C., itappears that the appearance of the egg white and the yolk of the eggscan hardly be distinguished from that of unpasteurised eggs.

[0100] In another example the core of the eggs, namely the centre of theyolk, is maintained at a temperature of 57° C. and the eggs are thencooled. Here too it was determined that as a consequence of the coolingof the eggs there was virtually no change in the white or the yolk ofthe eggs.

[0101] It is thus in this way possible pursuant to this procedure topasteurise eggs very quickly without causing significant changes in theproperties of same. By heating eggs which are at room temperature usingboth microwave radiation and steam the eggs can be fully pasteurised inless than 30 minutes when a pasteurisation temperature of 60° in thecore of the eggs is applied.

[0102] The temperature curve for another example of egg pasteurisationis given in the graph of FIG. 12. This figure shows two curves. Thefirst curve 82 shows the temperature evolution in the oven space whilethe second curve 83 represents the temperature evolution in the core ofthe eggs. In this example, the oven space that contains the eggs hasbeen heated with steam from substantially 23° C. to 61° C. in 60seconds, whereby subsequently, the temperature in the oven space hasbeen maintained during ca. 940 seconds at a temperature of about 62.5°C., and, finally, the oven space was cooled for about 40 seconds toabout 25° C. by spraying the eggs with water. During this process thetemperature at the core of the eggs is between 59° C. and 61° C. forabout 4 minutes.

[0103] In the case of such rapid heating of the oven space, andtherefore also of the eggs, pasteurised eggs are obtained, whereby theegg white near the shell has already more or less set while the eggwhite around the yolk is still transparent. The contents of such arapidly pasteurised egg is slightly more viscous than a non-pasteurisedfresh egg but it can however be used without any problem for processedfood stuffs, such as for preparing fried or scrambled eggs.

[0104] The eggs are moistened in an advantageous fashion before heatingwith the help of water vapour at a relatively low temperature formed bythe ultrasonic vibration of the water in said heating element. In thisway the heat transfer between the eggs and the steam is considerablyimproved.

[0105] The dimensions of the device according to the invention asrepresented in the figures are chosen such that it can be installed in akitchen in the same way as a conventional oven. By adjusting thedimensions and shape of the device according to the invention, it can bemade suitable for handling only a few eggs or a very large number ofeggs.

[0106] Furthermore the upper compartment of the water reservoir can bereplaced by a connection to a conventional water supply, while the lowercompartment can be replaced by a drain pipe leading to a connection tothe drains.

[0107] A third embodiment of the device, according to the invention, isshown in FIGS. 9 and 10. This device has a protective cover 63 which canbe removed from a housing 64. The protective cover 63 is in the shape ofa semi-ellipsoid and its circle-shaped edge 65 fits onto the housing 64.This protective cover 63 surrounds an oven space 13 which is closed atthe bottom by a ring-shaped oven plate 6 which has a centralcircle-shaped opening 6′.

[0108] Besides this oven plate 6, the housing 64 also comprises a firstcompartment 66 which contains an electronic control unit for the deviceand a water reservoir that consists of two separate compartments 20 and21. The latter two compartments 20 and 21 are U-shaped such that theypartly surround the aforementioned first compartment 66.

[0109] On the aforementioned oven plate 6 rests a ring-shaped carrierplate 7 which has holes in order to hold the eggs 18 upright on thiscarrier plate 7 in the oven space 13 as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. Thiscarrier plate 7 is made preferably from a wired structure in order toensure adequate circulation of steam around the eggs 18.

[0110] The device further is provided with a ventilator 14, in aco-axial position with the aforementioned oven plate 6 and the carrierplate 7, which extends above the circle-shaped opening 6′. Thisventilator 14 has short blades 69 which run practically parallel to itsshaft. In addition, the ventilator 14 has a ventilator housing 67 thatseparates the ventilator 14 on the sides and at the top from the ovenspace 13 and that has openings 68 along its entire circumference at theheight of the ventilator 14, in order to let the steam flow over theeggs 18.

[0111] The ventilator 14 is driven via its shaft 70 by means of anelectrical motor 71 which is mounted in the aforementioned firstcompartment 66.

[0112] The shaft 70 of the ventilator 14 is partly situated in acylindrical coaxial sleeve 72 with respectively on top of each other alayer of thermal insulation 73, a cooking plate 74 surrounded by asealing ring 75 and a connecting piece 76.

[0113] The boiling plate 74 comprises a heating resistor so that wateron the plate can be heated to produce steam. In this respect, theconnecting piece 76 is connected to the boiling plate 74 so that acylindrical boiling vessel is produced. The steam that is produced bymeans of the boiling plate 74 leaves the boiling vessel via theaforementioned opening 6′ in the oven plate 6 and as such the steam isextracted by the ventilator 14 that distributes the steam via theaforementioned openings 68 of the ventilator housing 67 over the eggs18.

[0114] Further, a pump 77 is mounted in the compartment 66 of thehousing 64 that works in conjunction with the bottom compartment 21 ofsaid reservoir in order to distribute the water from this compartment 21via a water pipe 78 over the eggs 18.

[0115] The water pipe 78 leads, in particular, to the centre and abovethe ventilator 69 via an opening 84 which is provided in the sphericaltop side 79 of the ventilator compartment 67. When the ventilator 69 isworking, the water that comes out of the water pipe 78 is attracted bythe ventilator and squirted through the openings 68 of the ventilatorhousing 67 and the water is spread over the eggs 18.

[0116] This makes it possible to moisten the eggs 18 before they aresubject to thermal treatment or to cool the eggs rapidly when thethermal treatment has finished. By varying the rotation speed of theventilator 14, the speed of the squirted water varies and the water isdistributed over the eggs 18 substantially evenly and over substantiallythe entire oven space 13.

[0117] In order to regulate the temperature of the steam in the ovenspace 13, the said oven plate 6 has a temperature sensor 80 thatco-operates with the said electrical control unit and that measures thetemperature of the oven space 13.

[0118] The water that is thus transferred from the bottom compartment 21into the oven space 13 ends up on the oven plate 6 which has a conicalsurface so that the water flows to the said central opening 6′ and tothe said boiling plate 74.

[0119] The connecting piece 76 that connects to said opening 6′ also hasa so-called overflow, which is not shown in the figures, which evacuatesthe water when the latter exceeds a pre-set level in the said boilingvessel to the top compartment 21.

[0120] Furthermore, the oven plate 6 along the inside of the saidopening 6′ has a series of upright teeth 81 at a small distance fromeach other. In the case of an egg 18 breaking, these teeth 81 preventegg white or yolk or even egg shell from going through the said opening6′ with the water. Since any egg white or yolk that is deposited on theoven plate 6 will set immediately, this can then be stopped by the saidteeth 81.

[0121] So in order to boil eggs hard or soft or to pasteurise them, theprotective cover 63 is removed from the housing 64 and the eggs 18 areplaced on the said carrier plate 7 in the oven space 13. Subsequently,the protective cover 63 is placed back on the housing 64 in order toclose the oven space 13.

[0122] The bottom compartment 21 of the reservoir is filled with waterand placed in the housing 64. This water is then used during the cookingof the eggs 18, to generate steam by means of the boiling plate 74 onthe one hand, and on the other hand as cooling water to cool the eggs 18rapidly after they have been heated by the steam.

[0123] By means of a control panel which is not shown in the figures, itis possible to select the desired thermal treatment for the eggs.

[0124] Notwithstanding that in the aforementioned embodiment of thedevice, according to the invention, the water pipe 78 constitutes asimple spraying device, it is however possible to provide a differentspraying device.

[0125] It is possible, for example, that each egg 18 is irrigated withwater by means of individual sprays. It is also possible to squirt wateragainst the inner walls of the protective cover 63 from the oven plate6, whereby the inner wall above the eggs 18 is uneven so that waterwould be guided onto the eggs 18 from these uneven parts.

[0126] The water pipe 78 in an alternative version of this embodiment ofthe device could be co-axial with the said ventilator shaft 70 and, forexample, coincide with said shaft 72.

[0127] It is clear that although the parts in the aforementioned versionof the device mainly have an axial symmetry, the device can be executedin a variety of geometrical shapes.

[0128] During the pasteurising or the preparing of eggs, the oven space13 is heated with only part of the power that is available for theheating of the oven space. For example, this means that only 80% of theavailable power is used to heat the oven space from about 35° C. to 50°C. For this process, the time necessary to reach the 50° C. in the ovenspace is measured. From this data, which is a measure for the thermalheat capacity, the amount of power that is necessary in the other partof the pasteurising process in order to obtain the desired temperaturecurve, is calculated.

[0129] In this description steam is understood as every form of water inthe gas phase. This may be both water vapour resulting from the boilingof water in said heating element or water that has been atomised in theoven space using said vibratory source.

[0130] Furthermore aforementioned coolant and the liquid that is heatedin the heating element is by preference water.

[0131] The invention is of course not limited to the embodimentdescribed here above of the device and the method according to theinvention, for example the carrier plate for the eggs may take variousforms and this may for example have a wire structure so that the steamcan flow freely over the entire surface of the eggs. Furthermore theoven space may be heated in other ways, or this may be heated both bymeans of steam and by means of electrical resistances.

[0132] Notwithstanding the fact that the device according to theinvention is highly suited to using water as coolant, it is notimpossible that other coolants or cooling gases could be used.

1. Device for the controlled heating and cooling and, possibly, theconservation of eggs (18) in their shells at consumption temperature,that is provided with an oven space (13) with a carrier plate (7) with aholder for the positioning of the eggs (18) virtually upright and aspray device (12,78) for the cooling of same with a cooling liquid, andwhich is further provided with a heating element (11) for the generationof steam, characterised in that means (14) are provided that allow saidsteam to be subjected to a forced flow whereby this steam flows over theeggs (18), whereby said carrier plate (7) has openings (16) such that atleast part of the said steam is guided over the eggs (18) so that thelatter are heated over practically the entire surface, the devicefurther containing a vibratory source which ensures that liquid presentin the oven space (13) or in the heating element (11) is atomised orevaporated at a relatively low temperature.
 2. Device according to claim1, characterised in that said means comprise a ventilator (14). 3.Device according to claim 2, characterised in that the said sprayingdevice (78) co-operates with said ventilator (14) in such a way thatsaid cooling liquid is substantially evenly distributed over said eggs(18).
 4. Device according to claim 2 or 3, characterised in that theshaft (70) of said ventilator (14) is practically at a right angle tosaid carrier plate (7).
 5. Device according to one of the claims 2 to 4,characterised in that said ventilator (14) has a top side onto which asprayer (78) of said spraying device debouches in such a way that therotation of the ventilator causes the cooling liquid to be distributedover the eggs (18).
 6. Device according to one of the claims 1 to 5,characterised in that said spray device (12) comprises at least onesprayer (36) that permits the spraying of said cooling liquid in acylindrical jet of liquid (48) with an annular section.
 7. Deviceaccording to claim 6, characterised in that said sprayer (36) has a coneshaped opening that issues in a spray hole (47), whereby said liquid issquirted via a channel (37) touching the circumference of this openingso that this liquid rotates in the opening and is thus guided via saidspray hole (47) into the oven space (13).
 8. Device according to claim7, characterised in that said spray hole (47) has a diameter of 1 mm to2.5 mm and is by preference substantially equal to 2 mm.
 9. Deviceaccording to one of the claims 6 to 8, characterised in that said spraydevice (12) has a sprayer for each holder (17) of the carrier plate (7)so that the eggs (18) placed in the holders can be sprayed individually.10. Device according to one of the claims 6 to 9, characterised in thatsaid sprayers (36) are located in a flat plate (33) in which liquidchannels (37) are formed by the removal of material from this plate. 11.Device according to one of the claims 1 to 5, characterised in that saidspray device contains sprays located in two opposing side walls of theoven space (13).
 12. Device according to one of the claims 6 to 11,characterised in that said spray device (12) comprises liquid channels(37, 43) which connects sprayer (36) to a source of liquid (5), wherebythe length of these channels is virtually the same for all sprayers(36).
 13. Device according to one of the claims 6 to 12, characterisedin that said vibratory source contains a piezo-electrical ceramicelement.
 14. Device according to one of the claims 1 to 13,characterised in that it is provided with a electromagnetic source ofradiation for heating the eggs (18) in the oven space (13).
 15. Deviceaccording to one of the claims 1 to 14, characterised in that it isprovided with a preferably removable liquid reservoir consisting of twocompartments (5), whereby a first compartment (20) has at least onevalve (25) that allows liquid to be supplied to said spray device (12)and/or heating element (11), whereby a second compartment (21) isprovided with at least one inlet opening (55) so that liquid from theoven space (13) can flow into this second compartment (21).
 16. Deviceaccording to claim 15, characterised in that said first compartment (20)has an inclined bulkhead (22) such that liquid in this compartment (20)flows to said valve (25).
 17. Device according to claim 16,characterised in that said first compartment (20) is located above saidsecond compartment (21) whereby the bulkhead (22) forms the separationbetween both compartments.
 18. Device according to one of the claims 15to 17, characterised in that said inlet opening (55) works inconjunction with a tubular connecting piece (27) that extends betweenthe inlet opening (55) and the upper surface (28) of the liquidreservoir (5).
 19. Device according to one of the claims 1 to 18,characterised in that it is equipped with an atomiser that allowscooling liquid to be atomised in said free space in order to cool theoven space (13).
 20. Device according to one of the claims 1 to 19,characterised in that is comprises a control device (15) that works inconjunction with a temperature measuring instrument that measures thetemperature in the oven space (13) and governs the supply of steam tothe oven space (13) in function of the measured temperature whereby thecontrol device (15) works further in conjunction with a time counter inorder to activate said spray device (12) at a predetermined moment for apredetermined period of time.
 21. Method for the controlled heating orcooling of eggs (18) in their shells in order to cause these to set to apredetermined thickness or to pasteurise them, whereby eggs (18), whichmay be at different initial temperature, may be placed next to oneanother on a carrier plate (8) in an oven space (13) and the latterheated according to a particular temperature curve by means of steam toa temperature of close to 95° C. and 110° C. and by preference 98° C.,whereby these eggs (18) are then cooled down with the aid of a coolingliquid, characterised in that said eggs (18) are heated by means ofsteam in the oven space (13), whereby these are then cooled with saidcooling liquid during 10 to 15 seconds and preferably during 20 to 40seconds, before the eggs (18) have reached such a high temperature intheir cores that bacteria are destroyed, and whereby the eggs are thenmaintained in the oven space (13) at a temperature below the settingtemperature of the yolk while the core temperature of the eggs (18)rises to a temperature whereby bacteria are destroyed.
 22. Proceduresaccording to claim 21, characterised in that eggs (18) are placed in theoven space (13), whereby the latter is heated in accordance with atemperature curve that lies between the first temperature curve wherebythe oven space is heated from 30° to 62° C. in 73 seconds, from 62° to82° C. in 150 seconds and from 80° C. to 98° C. in 135 seconds and asecond temperature curve whereby the oven space (13) is heated from 30°C. to 73° C. in 45 to 60 seconds from 73° C. to 94° C. in 90 seconds,from 94° C. to 98° C. in 40 seconds and then maintained for a period of210 seconds at 98° C.
 23. Procedure pursuant to claim 21 with thecharacteristic that for obtaining eggs (18) in which only the white hasset, the oven space (13) is heated by means of steam for a period of 5.1to 6.8 minutes, whereby then, when the core of the eggs has reached atemperature of between 45° C. and 50° C., the oven space (13) ispreferably cooled to approximately the temperature of the cooling liquidand specifically to a temperature with is lower than 30° C., and heatedagain to a temperature between 55° C. and 65° C. and preferably tosubstantially 60° C.
 24. Procedure according to claims 21 to 23,characterised in that said steam is guided over the eggs (18), whereby apart of the steam flows along the eggs (18) downwards through saidcarrier plate (57) and to the end of same order to heat the underside ofthe eggs (18), whereby this steam is then redirected to a free spaceunder an oven plate (6).
 25. Procedure according to one of the claims 21to 24, characterised in that after placing the eggs (18) in the ovenspace (13), water is subjected to ultrasonic vibration in order to causeit to evaporate at a relatively low temperature, whereby the watervapour thus formed then moistens the eggs (18) at least in part. 26.Procedure according to one of the claims 21 to 25, characterised in thatbefore the white of the eggs (18) has set, it is subjected to apreferably ultrasonic vibration in order to move the yolk of the eggs(18) virtually to the middle of same.
 27. Procedure according to one ofthe claims 21 to 27, characterised in that said eggs are at least partlywarmed by means of electromagnetic radiation, and specifically by meansof microwave radiation.
 28. Procedure according to one of the claims 21to 27, characterised in that said eggs (18) are cooled by spraying thecooling liquid in a jet (48) with an annular section on the eggs (18),whereby when the cooling liquid comes into contact with the eggs (18) itflows over the surface of same.
 29. Procedure according to one of theclaims 21 to 28, characterised in that said cooling liquid is sprayed onthe eggs with a pressure of 1 to 4.5 bar.
 30. Procedure according to oneof the claims 21 to 29, characterised in that after the cooling of theeggs (18) they are kept in the oven space (13) at a consumptiontemperature that is lower than the setting temperature of the white andthe yolk and above the breeding temperature of vegetative cells and at ahumidity of at least 50%.
 31. Procedure for the pasteurisation of eggsin their shells by means of a device according to one of the claims 1 to20, whereby the core of these eggs is heated to a temperature between53° C. and 65° C., in particular between 57° C. and 61° C. andmaintained at this temperature for a sufficiently long period of timefor the bacteria present in the eggs to be destroyed, characteristic inthat said eggs are moistened with the aid of water vapour at arelatively low temperature formed by the ultrasonic vibration of waterand heated by means of steam so that said core is maintained asufficiently long time at said temperature in order to destroy anybacteria present, whereby the eggs are then cooled within a period of 15to 120 seconds to a temperature of 45° C.
 32. Procedure according toclaim 31, characterised in that said eggs are heated at least partiallywith the aid of electromagnetic radiation, specifically microwaveradiation.